Spindle-driving mechanism for spinning-machines



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(No Model.)

0. H. FISHER.

SPINDLE- DRIVING MEOHANISM FOR SPINNING MACHINES.

No. 356,355. Patented Jan. 18, 1887.

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WITNESSES.

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SPINDLE DRIVING MECHANISM FOR SPINNING 'MAOHINES. No. 355,355. Pate ed Jan. 18, 1887.

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c. H. FISHER. SPINDLE DRIVING MECHANISM FOR SPINNING MACHINES.-

No. 356,355 Patented Jan. 18, 1887.:

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4 Sheets-Sheet '4.

.0.- H. FISHER.-

, SPINDLE DRIVING MECHANISM FOR SPINNING MACHINES.

.No. 356,55. Patented Jan. 18, 1887 ITNEEEEE:

' adjust the said adjustable support.

UNiTen STATES PATENT Trice. i

CHARLES H. FISHER, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPINDLE DRlVlNG MECHANISM FOR SPINNING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 356,355, dated January 18, 1887.

Application filed September 30, 1885. Serial No. 178,677. (No model.)

.To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. FISHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Spindle-Driving Mechanism for Spinnirig-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is especially useful when used in connection with belts or bands of fibrous material, such as are generally used to drive the spindles of spinningmachines, although its usefulness is not limited to that particular situation.

The object of my invention is to provide an inexpensive and effectual means of 1naintaining a suitable tension in the bands with which it is used independently of and notwithstanding the changes which are constantly occurring in the length of such bands on account of the stretching and contracting of the said bands because of atmospheric changes and other causes. By thus maintaining an equable tension of the lowest desirable amount and by simplifying the tension-regulating mechanism I am enabled to save large amounts of power which are now usually wasted in spinning machinery, while many more spindles may be placed in a room of a given size than has hitherto been customary, because of the possibility of making use of a narrower frame than has hitherto been necessary to furnish sufficient elasticity in the band.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which' Figure 1 is a side elevation of that form of the band-tension regulator which I prefer to use and a portion of a support therefor, such as is suitable for use where the tension-regulator is used in an isolated position. Fig. 2is an elevation, partly in section, at the line :0 so of Fig. 1, of a part of the said tensionregulator. Fig. 3 is a plan of that form of support for the band-tension regulator that is shown in Figfl. Fig. 4 is aside elevation of a modified form of tension-regulator, showing the forked adjustable regulator-support in which I prefer to support the rocking part of the regulator when itis used upon spinning-frames and the T-iron rail astride, upon the edge of which I prefer to Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the said T-iron rail, and also shows a View, partly in section and at right angles to that shown in Fig. 4, of this modified form of regulator and the preferred form of support therefor. Fig. 6 is a View of a second modified form of the tension-regulator. Fig. 7 is an end elevation, and Fig. 8 is a plan, of a machine having a series of vertical spindles and provided with thepreferred form of tension-regulator and the preferred form of support therefor, and showing the preferred method of banding. Fig. 9 is an end elevation,and Fig. 10 is a plan, of a similar machine having aseries of vertical spindles upon each side thereof, and showing asecond example of this method of banding which maysometimes be adopted.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The tension-regulator shown-in Figs. 1 and 2 consists of the tube B, which rocks upon the pin (1, and whose interior surface furnishes a bearing for the journal 0, to which is fixed the hollow pulley A, upon which the band whose tension is to be regulated is intended to run. The lower end of the journal 0 is made small, and rests upon the step D, which may in turn rest upon a second step, E, or upon the bottonr I of the hole in the tube B. The pulley is usually provided with one or more bandgrooves, as shown in the drawings, for the better support and guidanceof the band. The piece R is one form of support for the tension-regulator, and it is adapted to be securely clamped to the lower side of a spindle-rail of a spinning-machine by means of the ordinary nut upon the spindle-support, the spindlesupport passing through the large hole M. I usually prefer, however, to make the support for the rocking part of the regulator as shown by b in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, and to support a series of them upon a T-iron bar, a, as shown in my drawings of machines, having the regulator applied to its bands.

It is very desirable that the rocking parts of the regulator should be as light as is possible, in order that the inertia of the said parts may not prevent a prompt yielding of the same to any irregularities of the band which runs upon the regulator. I consequently prefer to make the arm to which the means of holding the regulator against the band is attach ed, and the piece which prevents the pulley from rising out of its place, and the means of preventing the regulator from being overturned all in a single piece of strong metal-such as sheet steel-and to provide various notches and holes therein, as shown in Fig. 1. Qrepresents this locking-piece, and itis preferably provided with the projections Q, embracing the regulator-support,and allowing the piece Q to rock a limited distance in either direction, the projections 7t and 7a, which allow the tube B to rock a limited amount with respect to the piece Q, the projection Q, which prevents the removal of the pulley A when the projection k is in contact with the tube B, and the arm j,

to which the means of holding the pulley A against the band is attached. It is evident that these projections upon the piece Q, are none of them essential to thesuccessful use of the piece, except the army, the projections Q and it being simply to prevent a slight w'edging action between the pieceQand other parts, which might occur when a band was being renewed, and the projection It simply forming a definite point of contact between the arm upon which it is supported and the tube B.

The projection Q, might usually be dis,- pensed with, if it were desired to do so, as the pressure caused by the band and the weight of the pulley A will usually retain the said pulley in its place, and the regulator will usually be used in a position where the pulley would not easily he accidentally displaced.

The piece Q is intended to be supported in a central slot in the bottom of the tube B and to rock upon the pin (7, and I prefer to make a hole through the end of the arm 7', in order to secure thereto the means of holding the pulley A against the band. It is evident that by properly shaping the piece Q and the slot in the lower part of the piece B all that part of the piece Q which engages with the side of the tube B may be dispensed with without rendering the regulator inoperative, the top of the slot in the piece B in that case coming in contact with the upper edge of the piece Q.

To hold the pulley A against the band to which itis applied, I prefer to make use of the weightV, attached to the arm j by means of thefspring T, which connects the said arm and the lug U upon the weight, since by this means the inertia of the weight V does not affect the rapidity with which the pulley A can yield to the irregularities of the band, although I am aware that for the purpose of holding the pulley A against its hand the weight V may, although less satisfactorily, be attached to'the arm j by an inelastic connection, or that the lower end of the spring T may be steadily held extended by being attached at its lower end to a fixed object; but in the construction illustrated in the drawings the amount of the pressure of the pulley A upon the band may be regulated with the greatest nicety by a proper choice of theweight and its point of attachment to the arm j, while the spring combined therewith gives the apparatus the desirable capability of moving with great promptness.

In Figs. 4 and 5 will be seen illustrated a modified form of regulator, where the army is made to form a part of the same piece as the tube B, the arm j being hollow and provided with an oil-reservoir, through which a lubricant can be introduced to the spindle C; but, as this is heavier than the form shown in Fig. 1, I think that the latter is preferable. The pulley A is in this case provided with a locking-wire to prevent its removal, such as is very commonly used upon spinning-spindles.

In Fig. 6 is illustrated a second modified form of tension-regulator, where an ordinary solid pulley, F, supported upon a central spindle, G, is used instead of the hollow pulley A, while the rocking support B is preferably, though not necessarily, suitably modified to meet the new conditions by the addition of the yoke Gr.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6 will be seen plainly illustrated the form of regulator-support which I prefer to use when the regulator is applied to spinningframes where the forked regulator support bis so made as to be adjustably clasped to the edge of the bar a, by the screw P or other equivalent means, while its upper end supports the pin (Z, upon which the regulator rocks. By thus constructing this support I am at any time able to very easily remove any one ofa series of regulators which may be upon a machine, or to exactly adjust it longitudinally of the spinning-frame without disturbing any other regulator in the series. This is a very important advantage, and this form of support is evidently applicable to other forms of tension-regulators than that illustrated in the drawings.

As will be clearly seen in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the tube B is prevented from being overturned by projections equivalent to the projections Q in Fig. 1, and which extend downwardly upon each side of the support I). These projections are not really essential to the successful working of the regulator, as they merely prevent a slight wedging action between the support Z1 and the rocking piece B, which might occur when a band was being replaced.

The manner ofapplying this regulator to a band is shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10, any of the forms of regulator herein described being available in order to practice the method of banding there illustrated. In these figures the drum m is supported by the frame 1) and the shaft 0 and revolved by the pulley a. spindles 71, supported in the spindle-supports f, are rotated by bands which run upon the whirls g and the drum m. The band-tension regulators are shown as I prefer to make them, and adjustably supported upon the bar a, which is secured to the frame 1) by screws 6 or other equivalent means, other screws 6 being used to connect other parts of the ma- The V chine together. Different examples of the new method of banding are illustrated in these figures.

The example of the method of handing which is shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is that which I prefer to use, and it can be readily understood upon reference to Fig. 8, the plan view of the machine. In the upper part of this figure the band Z is shown as passing from t-hedrivingdrum m to and partially around the whirl of a spindle of the machine, thence passing to and partially around the pulley A of a band-tension regulator, thence passing to and partially around the whirl of a second spindle, whence it passes to and partially around the drum m to the point of starting. In the lower part of Fig. 8 a second example of this method of banding is shown, where a point in the band Z is represented as passing from the drum in to and partially around the whirl of a spindle of the machine. It is shown as then passing to and partially around the pulley A of a bandtension regulator, thence to and partially around the whirl of a second spindle, thence to and partially around the pulley A a second time, thence to and partially around the whirl of a third spindle, whence it is shown as passing to and partially around the drum m to the point of starting. It will be seen that in this method of banding the band-tension regulator is pressed against a long loop of the band, directly between two spindles, by the rocking of the spindle-support B, caused by the tendency of the weight V to fall in such a way that the two sides of the said loop. are nearly parallel, and in such a way that the band comesin contactwith the spindle-whirl in an are which is not far from one hundred and eighty degrees in extent, sometimes a few degrees more and sometimes a few degrees less, according to circumstances. By this means the tension of the band may be easily adjusted to the desired amount, remembering that the tension of the band is substantiallyone-half the force with which the tension-regulator is pressed against a loop of the band, as will be readily perceived. When this method of banding is employed, any usual stretch or contraction of the band will be immediately compensated by the action of the regulator in taking a new position, although it will continue to cause substantially the same amount of tension to exist in the band.

It will be noticed that the two examples of handing hereinbefore described differ only in the fact that the long loop in the band is duplicated in the second example, while but a single long loop is used in the first example. It is also evident that this loop may be duplicated any desirable number of times, and that by this method any desirable number of spindles greater than one may be driven. by a single band.

Another among several other examples of this method of banding is illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, where spindles in two rows are driven by a single band and the band maintained at the proper tension by a single bandtcnsion regulator. In this case a point in the band Z moves from the drum m to and partially around the spindle h, thence in succession to and partially around the spindles h and h", after which it passes in a nearly parallel-sided loop to and partially around the pulley A of the band-tension regulator, and thence in succession to and partially around the spindles h and If, and then to and partially around the drum m to the point of starting. In this case, as in that illustrated in Fig. 8, the band is" maintained at the proper tension by a band-tension regulator which runs within a long substantiallyparallelsided loop of the band Z, and inthis case, by suitably placing the tension-regulator andplacing the band, the number of spindles which may bedriven by a single band may be any desirable number greater than one. The rods u and Z are sometimes provided and supported by the stands S S, and the band led over them in such a way as to prevent the different portions of the band from coming in contact with each other where they cross, althoughthese may sometimes be dispensed with and use made of either of the well-known and equivalent expedients of placing the whirls on some of the spindles at a different height from the rest or by leading the band above and below the spindle-driving drum for the samepurpose.

Since it is desirable to use a small and light band for spinning, it is not desirable to drive too many spindles by a single band, lest the band should be overloaded and break, and my experience has led me to believe that the example shown in Fig. 8, where three spindles, side by side,are driven by a single small band, which is maintained at the proper tension by a band-tension regulator,is the best form to be ordinarily used upon spinning-frames.

It will be noticed that with this method of handing the arc of contact of the spindlewhirl and the band is very nearly the same with all of the spindles, and that this are is usually substantially one hundred and eighty degrees, from which it follows that a much smaller tension in the band will be required IIO than when the said are is less in extent,aswill be readily seen when the laws which govemthe friction of bands is examined. T-his' smaller requisite tension in the bands leads't-o I have found that the quality of the product of a spinning-frame that is supplied with my improvement is enough better than that of one without it to make it desirable to use the regulator, even if no saving of power resulted therefrom, or even if a somewhat larger amount of power were consumed thereby. I attribute this result to the greater steadiness with which the spindles run, and especially to the diminished vibrating effect upon the spindle of the usual knot in the band, on account of the lightness of the parts, whose inertia re. sists a slight change in the position of the regulator.

v I am aware that it is substantially equivalent to support a rocking device which rocks through but a small angle either upon a fiat or other suitable shaped spring or a pivot, as these two means of support are interchangeably used for such purposes in many classes of machinery, particularlyin weighing machincry, and I sometimes take advantage of this fact and support the rocking spindle-support upon such a spring.

I do not limit myself in the use of my invention to the exact form otlj o'urnal and bearing for the band-tension regulator which is herein described, nor of the band-driving device, since I am aware that other kinds thereof may he sometimes equivalently substituted therefor; nor do I limit myself in that part of the invention which relates to the way that the spindles are banded to the exact form of baud-tension regulator described for the same reason.

Since I am aware that it is not new'to interpose an elastic connection between the point of application of a force to a mechanical device and the working-point of the said device, for the purpose of diminishing shocks in the parts thereof, as I have known of several in stances where this has been done for a great many years, such as in ordinary carriages and the like, I do not broadly claim such to be of my invention; but

\Vhat I do claim as new, and desire to se cure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The band-tension regulator which consists of the regulatonsupport having the fork and the means of firmly clamping the said fork astride upon the edge ofa supporting bar, a rocking spindle-support thatis supported by thesaid regulator-support, a Spin-. dle provided with a pulley and running in the said spindle support, and a means of pressing the said pulley against a running band, substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

2. The bandtension regulator which consists of the regulator-support having the fork and the means of firmly clamping the said fork astride upon the edge of a supporting bar, a rocking spindlesupport that is sup ported by the said regulator-support, a spindle provided with a pulley and runningin the said spindle-su iport, the arm attached to the spindle-support, and the weight for rocking the spindle-support in one direction attached thereto, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

3. The band-tension regulator which consists of the rocking spindle-support and a support therefor, the spindle provided with a pulley supported by the said spindle-support, the weight for rocking the said spindlesupport in one direction, and means, part of which means is a spring, of attaching the said weight to the said rocking spindlesupport, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

4:. The spinning-spindles and their whirls,

combined with the driving mechanism there for, which consists of a rocking spindlesupport and a means of supporting it, a spindle provided with a pulley and supported by the said rocking spindle-support, with its axis in a substantially vertical position when the said spindlesupport is in its middle position, a means of adjusting at will the position of the said rocking spindle-support longitudinally of the spinningi'rame and independently of the position of the said spinning-spindles, a band, and a means of driving it, the said band running upon two or more of the said spindlewhirls, the pulley of the tension-regulator and the said means of driving it, and a means of pressing the said pulley against the said band, substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

5. The band-tension regulator which con sists of the rocking spindle-support and a means of supporting the same, a spindle provided with a pulley supported by the said rocking spindle-support, with its axis in a subtantially vertical position when the said spindle-support is in its middle position, a strained spring for rocking the said spindlesupport in one direction attached to the said spindle-support, and ameans ot'steadily maintaining the said spring in a state of strain at tached to the spring, substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

6. The band-tension regulator which con sists of the rocking spindle-support and asupport therefor, the spindle supported in the said rocking spindlesupport and provided with a pulley, the rocking locking-piece Q, having the projection Q, and a weight attached to the said locking-piece to rock the spindle-support in one direction, substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

7. The band-tension regulator which consists of the regulator-Snpport having the fork and the means of firmly clamping the said fork astride upon the edge of the supporting-bar, the rocking spiudle-support and the spindle provided with a pulley supported therein, the rocking locking-piece Q, provided with the projection Q, and the weight attached by a spring to the said locking-piece to rock the spindle-support in one direction, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

8. The band-tension regulator which eonsists of the spindlesupport having the slotted base and the bearing in the said base, a support for the said spindle-support and the pivot supported therein and supporting the said spindle-support, the arm fitted within the said slot in the base of the spindle-support, the spindle running in the said spindle-support and provided with a sleevewhirl pulley which surrounds the spindle-support, and a means attached to the said arm of pressing the pulley against a running band, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

9. The spinning-spindles and their whirls combined with the driving mechanism therefor, which consists of the band-driving device,

- as described, and for the purposes specified.

a bandtension regulator, and a band which passes around a portion of the circumferences of the said band-driving device, the spindlewhirls and the pulley of the band-tension regulator, the pulley of thesaid regulator pressing against a substantially parallel-sided loop of the said band which extends directly between two spindles, whereby the band is caused to come in contact with the whirl of each spindle in an are which is substantially as great as a half-circumference of the whirl, substantially 10. The spinning-spindles and their whirls combined with the driving mechanism therefor, which consists of aband-driving device, a

band-tension regulator, and a band passing from the said band-driving device to and partially around a spindle-whirl, thence to and partially around the pulley of the band-tension regulator, thence to and partially around a second spindle-whirl, thence to and partially around the pulley of the band-tension regulator a second time, thence to and partially around a third spindle-whirl,and thence to and partially around the said band-driving device to the place of starting, substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.

CHARLES H. FISHER.

Witnesses:

WM. H. ANDERSON, GEORGE A. NELsoN. 

